Hi everyone.. I'm scared..

[Pony]

Thank you asdrew.. I sure hope it works for me..

 

[Cynthia777]

@Pony
So, you're having both hips replaced at one time? I sure wish my surgeon did bilateral replacements. It's such a bummer to have to go through this journey twice. I forgot to ask how soon after my first surgery am I able to get the second one done. I want to get my second hip one as soon as he will do it.
I've watched several people over the past year who have had bilateral surgery and they've done great,mad I'm sure you will do!

 

[Pony]

No I'm just getting the Left one done. Hoping the right will last me a while..

 

[Cynthia777]

Got it! Hope the good hip holds up for a loooong time.

 

[MI Chickie]

@Pony Just reading your story, my goodness, you've been through it! I hope you get some relief and that all goes well for you from here on out.

 

[Pony]

I think at this point I've pretty much been through close to everything I might go through during hip replacement surgery with the broken hip ? Maybe ?
Most horrible experience in my life beside losing my mom and brother within 8 months of each other due to cancer.
Anyway, I'm fortunate my hubby is patient.. He has been my rock and is always trying to figure out how to help me.. He put bar's on either side of the commode when I broke my hip to help me get up he is planning on raising the commode so I won't need the thing that fits on top the seat..
He took out the tub a while before and put in a shower that I could easily step into before I broke my hip, He always helps with the sock on the left foot so I don't need the sock putter onner lol.. and also helps with tying the shoe on that foot also when I wear a pair of shoes that ties, which isn't often.
I already move carefully when reaching to pick up something from the floor or sitting so I don't anticipate much of a change there "or am I mistaken and its going to be worse then the brake", I sure hope not.
I'm wondering how long if ever it takes to get over the fear of falling... I'm constantly "tripping" over my own two feet and it seems my good leg won't move fast enough to catch me, it seems like I just freeze, muscles and all..
The scar's on the side of my hip get sore still if I sit in a chair or do something that mess's with the muscle on that side so I'm not expecting much of a change there..
My wrist still isn't back to its pre break strength so I am expecting it to get pretty sore .. Since I couldn't bend very well and couldn't use my left hand to clean myself and my right shoulder is very stiff from a previous break, I've had a lot of practice using the long handled sponge to clean myself with "practice makes perfect right?"... I shouldn't have too much of a problem there.. "sure hoping not anyways.."..
I keep going over stuff trying to convince myself to not worry, surely it has to get better as right now I just seem to be doing less and less of what I used to be able to do, as I've read on here someone said it feels like I'm dying instead of living, I want to start moving forward..

 

[Cynthia777]

After everything you've been through, hopefully this will be a breeze!

 

[Hip Hip Hooray!]

It sounds like the previous experience traumatized you. If it makes you feel any better, my pain after my bilateral surgery was only around a 3 most of the time on a scale of 1-10. I was very conservative with the PT in the hospital. I found it could spike after that, so I did the minimum. (even though physically I could have done more.)

Riding horses will probably be up to you. Personally, I wouldn't, but I am very protective of these new hips. I am able to do all of the other things you described. It's a relief to be out of pain and able to dress yourself with ease.

I was also terrified, and none of my fears came true. It was SO much easier and less painful than I expected. I send you support. Having an excellent surgeon makes a big difference. I would also be sure that you will receive the medications on time. They really work, and numb the site. I couldn't believe how effective they were! It was like a miracle.

 

[Pony]

Oh yes... Very traumatized .. The ambulance people were very wonderful and tried not to hurt me, got pain meds via IV, helped when lying still but when I was moved didn't touch the pain , then a 45 minute ride two miles on bumpy dirt road, miserable... At the hospital was moved from bed to bed several times "xrays ect.." with "one" nurse actually pushing on the broken hip/leg with me screaming, she then laughed and said I belonged in a horror movie.. Then once the surgery was over for two days I was well taken care of until the third night a new nurse came in, all at once the pain med quit working, the iv came out and I told her, she just ignored me, put the meds in the iv and I showed her it was running down my arm, she told me I was getting "some" of the medicine and promptly walked out.... Hubby came in and I show him the iv then a new nurse came in and I told him, he tried to fix the iv and left with it in worse shape.. needless to say that night and the next day was miserable between me telling them the iv was not in and me throwing up and In severe pain, I was sent home day four with no medicine in me, but with prescriptions, hubby finally got the pain under control after I got home.. So yea I was/am traumatized ... Never want to go through that again.. And I am one who rarely takes any kind of medicine, when I broke my wrist this past spring the nurse insisted I take pain medicine at the hospital "which I told her I really didn't need" I took it since she insisted, was sent home with a pain prescription which I never filled....

 

[Pony]

@Josephine , I just read on another thread about them having to drill down the leg to put the new hip in, since I've already got the rod in and he's taking it out I'm assuming he won't have to do that but I never thought to ask , how far the new piece will go down my leg? Are there different lengths, I'm assuming there is... And I remember the dr saying some thing about the pins having to be removed down next to my knee, but I never thought to ask if I will be restricted from weight bearing.. he said if I opted to have the rod/pins removed prior to surgery I would have to walk on crutches until surgery because he was afraid I might fracture where the pins had been removed as he said I have very small bones.. any insight would be great... ?

 

[Josephine]

since I've already got the rod in and he's taking it out I'm assuming he won't have to do that but I never thought to ask , how far the new piece will go down my leg?

Actually he will because the inside of the bone has to be remodelled to take the stem of the implant. It's essential that this is done to ensure a good fix.

I remember the dr saying some thing about the pins having to be removed down next to my knee, but I never thought to ask if I will be restricted from weight bearing - he said if I opted to have the rod/pins removed prior to surgery I would have to walk on crutches until surgery because he was afraid I might fracture where the pins had been removed

Some surgeons are ultra-careful about that as the transfixion screws are quite large in diameter, about 6-8mm if I remember. That does leave quite a big hole, of course, and therefore a potential weakness in the bone.

 

[jomarie58]

I hope this last week before surgery goes well and flies by!


RTHR 1/15/2016. Posterior approach. Due to AVN. LTHR in my future.

 

[bettifloss]

@Pony, just read your thread from the beginning - you have been through so much! Really hoping for you that your THR will give you back the mobility you need to enjoy life again. Like you, I love being with my horse and dogs, and will I be following your thread with interest. All the best


Bettifloss - RTHR 5 January 2016

 

[Pony]

@bettifloss, Thank you, I sure hope it does..

@ anyone who wants to chime in, The toilet seat riser makes the toilet five inch's higher, which makes me have to "stretch" to get up on the seat, hubby is just raising the toilet he said about 3 1/2 inch's higher I think that will be enough as I'm a shorty at 5 foot 1 inch least I hope it will be lol..

 

[Jaycey]

@Pony you definitely don't want to have to stretch to sit down. In most cases you are asked to kick your op leg out straight as you sit down so you don't want to have to struggle. Sounds like what your husband is doing is right. With your husband's modifications if the seat is the same height as a chair (like a dining chair) it should be fine.

 

[Pony]

Thank you @Jaycey I was sure hoping so as I remember having to stretch a little to get up onto my bed when I fractured my hip, he made me a step to get up onto it..

 

[Cynthia777]

@piny

Just dropping in to say "hi" and see how you're doing?

 

[Pony]

Doing alright, just wanting this over with, I helped hubby at the barn yesterday and bent over to pick up some boards a few times, the rest of the day my hip sort of felt like it was part way out but not, a really weird feeling it felt like it needed to pop but it hurts when it does, but it felt a little better this morning..
I hate when my hip pops it is excruciating , bad enough it hurts all the time anyhow.. And it seems to be getting worse, its almost like I can feel the bone moving in the socket.. ugg...
Hubby got the toilet raised today, I already like it better then it was, so much easier to get up off of...

 

[Cynthia777]

@Pony

Well, looking on the bright side, you are REALLY going to be happy you had the surgery and you probably aren't going to perceive the pain as bad as someone who isn't in much pain pre-op (wow, was that a LONG sentence or what)!

I, too, experience that popping (and catching) when I go from sitting down to standing up. It is from a Labral tear that I have in my hip. Unfortunately I'm not having surgery on that hip yet. Since both hips are equally painful, my surgeon felt it best to get the hip that has the most collapsed area of involvement done first. It shocks me at how loud the hip's pop is!

It won't be long now and you will be back on your horses flying through the wind!

 

[Pony]

It shocks me at how loud the hip's pop is!

Same here.. I've limped so long, I'm hoping this will take care of that , no limping would be great.. As well as no pain.. Dr said he was going to try to get my legs the same length. I can hardly imagine not being in pain..